2022 and 2023 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

There's much to be happy about when it comes to Happy Thought! “Happy” is a well-built girl who is full of spunk and personality.

Happy goes out at night with a few other mare friends and finds herself in the middle of the pecking order. She tends to be a bit aloof in new situations, but she warms right up once it becomes routine. Happy has no stall vices and stands patiently for the vet and farrier. 

Under saddle, Happy shows a great deal of potential, but she'll need the right kind of rider to help her reach her full potential! She has an engine and is enthusiastic when being ridden, so she needs someone who can patiently channel her energy and slow her brain and body as she transitions to a non-racing career. She is a spunky, confident mare, and she'll do best with a quiet, confident rider to keep up with and balance her energy.

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2
• Horse Care - Level 3 - She currently wears glue-on front shoes because she was very skilled at losing shoes, but hopefully she won't need them in the long-term!
• Riding - Level 3 - 4
• General Demeanor - Level 2 
• Physical Capability - Level 3+ - Happy had surgery to repair a short, incomplete, non-displaced lateral condylar fracture in her left front fetlock (with one screw placed) in March 2020. However, the majority of her racing career followed that procedure and recovery, and she had no performance issues related to the injury and its repair!

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ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

We intentionally set New Vocations’ adoption fees lower than the average cost of buying a Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds from a private seller (in today's market, horses coming right off the track are often listed at a price between $2,000 and $5,000!). Our facilities are always at full capacity, which means we can't take in an additional horse until one is adopted; a lower adoption fee means horses are more likely to find appropriate homes quickly and we can welcome more horses into our barns. And just think: By adopting one horse through New Vocations, you're actually helping two horses (you new family member and the one who takes his place in our program) transition to careers outside of racing. 

In general, our fees are set at $2,500, $1,000, $500 or waived:

• $2,500: This range is for horses that we consider to be the cream of the crop or “unicorn” horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations and great conformation, movement and size.
• $1,000: This range is for horses that are suitable for a competitive career up to a certain level (for example, cleared for 2’6” but not necessarily 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from an injury but have been cleared by our veterinarians for most disciplines.
• $500: This range is for horses that are limited to a flat, trail or companion-type home. These horses are healthy and have been fully rehabbed and evaluated by a vet.
• Waived: This is for horses that have significant limitations for a riding career or are otherwise difficult to place. These horses are otherwise healthy and have been evaluated by a veterinarian.

Another perk of adopting from us? We do our best to give you the best bang for your buck. Most adoptable horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days,  during which they're rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. We're also happy to share the history and any medical records (often including X-ray and ultrasounds) we have on each horse with interested and approved adopters.

While our adoption fees are low, please remember that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for a horse (adopted or otherwise!) can be high. We hope that by helping an adopter save money upfront, you'll have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for and training a horse.